Act fast: Transcontinental flights have dropped to 15,000 SkyMiles R/T

Dec. 20, 2019

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6 min read

Act fast: Transcontinental flights have dropped to 15,000 SkyMiles R/T

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Another SkyMiles deal is live, and this time it includes transcontinental fares at bargain prices. We're seeing round-trip fares such as Seattle (SEA) – Washington (IAD) and New York (JFK) to San Francisco (SFO) starting as low as 15,000 SkyMiles plus taxes and fees. We're even seeing some unadvertised deals, such as Los Angeles (LAX) to New York (JFK) for as low as 19,000 SkyMiles round-trip. Most of the deals appear to be nonstop and between January and March 2020.

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Note that some trips are mixed itineraries -- that is, one leg is in Comfort+ while the other is in first class. I spotted a similar itinerary for BOS-SEA, which dropped the total trip to 44,000 SkyMiles with the return leg in First.

To search, plug in your origin airport at Delta.com along with one of the sale destinations mentioned below. We recommend using Delta’s “Flexible Dates” calendar and making sure to check “shop with miles” when looking at search results. If you’re in need of SkyMiles, remember that you can instantly transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Delta at a 1:1 ratio. TPG values SkyMiles at 1.2 cents each, making a 15,000 SkyMiles ticket worth $180.

Airline: Delta
Routes: Major routes served by Delta, see full list here
Cost: 15,000+ SkyMiles + taxes round-trip
Dates: January – March 2020
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Prestige® Card (5x on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)

The information for the Citi Prestige card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Here are a few examples of what you can book:

Seattle (SEA) to Washington (IAD) for 15,000 SkyMiles plus $11.20 round-trip nonstop in Main Cabin:

Raleigh (RDU) to Seattle (SEA) for 16,000 SkyMiles plus $11.20 round-trip nonstop in Main Cabin:

Boston (BOS) to Los Angeles (LAX) for 17,000 SkyMiles plus $11.20 round-trip nonstop in Main Cabin:

New York (JFK) to San Francisco (SFO) for 19,000 SkyMiles plus $11.20 round-trip nonstop in Main Cabin:

Los Angeles (LAX) to New York (JFK) for 19,000 SkyMiles plus $11.20 round-trip nonstop in Main Cabin:

Atlanta (ATL) to Los Angeles (LAX) for 23,000 SkyMiles plus $11.20 round-trip nonstop in Main Cabin:

Boston (BOS) to Seattle (SEA) for 44,000 SkyMiles plus $11.20 round-trip nonstop in Comfort+ and first class:

Boosting your SkyMiles balance

There are a variety of ways to earn Delta miles — from Delta-operated flights to trips on SkyTeam airlines to various non-travel partners. However, one of the best ways to boost your SkyMiles balance to score a few free trips is by adding one of these cards to your arsenal:

The Platinum Card® from American Express ($550 annual fee; See Rates & Fees); 75,000-point welcome bonus after you use your new card to make $5,000 in purchases in your first six months of account opening, though be sure to check the CardMatch Tool to see if you’re targeted for a 100,000-point welcome bonus after spending $5,000 in the first three months (offer subject to change at any time). You can transfer Membership Rewards points directly to Delta SkyMiles. Terms Apply.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express ($595 annual fee; See Rates & Fees); Earn up to 75,000 points; Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 and an extra 25,000 points after you spend an additional $10,000 all on qualifying purchases on your new Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card ($450 annual fee; $550 if application is received on or after 1/30/2020; See Rates & Fees); Earn 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first three months. Terms Apply.
Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express ($95 annual fee; See Rates & Fees); Earn 30,000 bonus miles after you use your new Card to make $1,000 in purchases within your first three months and a $50 Statement Credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months. Terms Apply.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve Business Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Gold Delta SkyMiles Card, click here.

Featured image by Passengers will find full-spectrum LED lighting onboard Delta's A220 (Photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines)

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.